Apparatus for extracting juice from fruits and vegetables



Nov. 2, 1943. R. B. M KINNIS 2,333,190

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING JUICE FROM FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Original FiledDec. 6, 1939 Inert Gas In Water In 3/ 32 Seed and Water Discharge 33Juice Discharge 7 June In z] W @z hTMvwma flmmw a Inert Gus Out YPatented Nov. 2, 1943 UNITED APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING JUICE FROM FRUITSAND VEGETABLES Ronald B. McKinnis, Winter Haven, Fla.,' assignor, bymesne assignments, to Ronald B. Mc- Kinnis, doing business as McKinnisFoods,

Winter Haven, Fla.

Original application December 6, .1939, Serial No.

307,897, now Patent No. 2,299,553, dated October 20, 1942., Divided andthis application December 15, 1939, Serial No. 399,491

7 Claims.

.This invention relates to an apparatus for purging liquid ofobjectionable gas, and in particular to an apparatus for purging fruitjuices from atmospheric oxygen.

This present application is a division of my co-pending applicationSerial No. 307,897 filed December 6, 1939, now issued as Patent No.2,299,553 dated Oct. 20, 1942, directed to the method.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for purging fruitjuices of atmospheric oxygen.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which issimple to construct, and easy to repair and replace.

With these and other objects in View, which may be incident to myimprovements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to behereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that theseveral necessary elements comprising my invention may be variedinconstruction, proportions and arrangements, without departing from thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown inthe accompanying drawing, means for carrying the same into practicaleffect without limiting the improvements in their useful applications tothe particular constructions which, forthe purpose of explanation, havebeen made the subject of illustration.

In the drawing:

The single figure is a sectional view taken through the centrifugeapparatus which I employ in my process.

Referring to the drawing, the purging is carried out in the machineshown in that drawing. The juice is fed to the machine through a pipe Iwhich is adapted to pass through an aperture 2 provided in a basecasting 3. The pipe I passes through an aperture 4 formed in the bottomat the center of the base casting 3. A fluid tight fit is provided byscrewing on to an extension 5 of the base casting 3 a cap 6 whichrisadapted to 9. The deflector comprises a flanged fitting 10 which has adownwardly extending section II that fits into the upper end of thejuicepipe I.

Above this flanged fitting I0 is a parallel plate I2 which is heldspaced from the flanged fitting H] by spacer elements l3. Thearrangement is the numeral 2'].

such that the juice flowing through pipe I and discharged at the endthereof will strike the plate 12 and be discharged laterally in a filmagainst the inner surface of a tapered rotating element It,

The tapered rotating element I4 is adapted to rotate within a main bodysection [5 which may be integrally cast with the base 3. The lower endof the conical rotating element 14 is provided with a fitting [6 havinga central aperture ll through which is adapted to pass the juice pipe I.Formed on the fitting I6 is an upwardly extending collar i8 whichextends up near the bottom surface of the flanged fitting l0, thuspreventing juice from flowing through the aperture ll.

The fitting It carries at its lower end a ball race I9. A ball race 20is fitted into the base 3, and the conical rotating element I4 isadapted to rotate on balls 2| held between the ball races [9 and 20.

There is a space between the outer surface of the tapered rotatingelement l4 and the section l5 of the body through which purging inertgas can pass, though the main volume of gas is adapted to passdownwardly in the rotating element M from top to bottom on the inside ofrotating element 14.

Inert gas enters the centrifuge through an inert gas pipe 22 whichdischarges into a hollow shaft 23 which directs the stream of inert gasinto the top of the conical member M. The inert gas, such as carbondioxide or nitrogen, or a mixture of the two, passes downwardly in therotating element l4 and is discharged through the aperture ll formed inthe fitting l6, and thence into a collecting chamber 26, and out througha port 25 formed in the base 3. The port 25 connects with an inert gasdischarge pipe 26, which is held to the nozzle by means of a suitablegas-tight fitting indicated generally by A juice discharge chamber isformed in thebody casting above the section l5. This chamber isindicated by the numeral 28. The chamber lies adjacent an upper section29 of the tapered rotating member it which is provided with apertures 39through which the juice passes into the juice chamber 28. From thence itis discharged through a nipple 31 which is attached by means of asuitable liquid-tight fitting 32 in a juice discharge line 33.

Adjacent the top of the mechanical rotating element It, which is theexpanded end of that element, is a seed collecting chamber 34 formed inthe body casting into which the seeds and on a corresponding flange 40formed on the seed 7 collecting chamber 34.

Between the flanges 39 and 40 is the-suitable' packing M. The twoflanges are-held.together,.. compressing a packing 4| between \them .topro-,- vide a fluid-tight fit. Theseflanges may beheld together by boltsor other suitable means, not shown.

' 1 The seed collecting chambered. is provided with a discharge chute 42whichlfedsjntol 1a water seal 43 formed above the sectiont l5 time!provided witha ring 45iwhich is'sweatedinto placeon theend of the memberI4,"or otherwise suitablyfiattached; This ring 46' forms a'flangefor;.the upper endof the rotating'eleinent' i4". Mounted above the ring46, is a driving'disc'48 which is "held in spaced relation to the ring46 K by. means of spacers 49 that fit over connecting bolts 50 joiningthe drive rotating element. I4" and th'e ,drivin'g. disc 48'. The spacebetween-the members. 46. and 48' permits. theiseeds and large particlesdischarged from'the upper'end ofthe rotating member I4 to be dischargedinto'the seed collecting chamber "34'.

The driving disc 48is rotated by means of 'the hollow, shafpZ-S which-iskeyed orotherwise atformed in the disc 48." The hollow shaLftZZfi-"issuitably'journalled in a ball bearing support-indicatedgenerally by thenumeral 5|, and-a packing. gland construction indicatedgenerally by thenumeral, 52'. gives'a fluid-tight fit between the I shaft123" and thecover seer the' seed collecting chamber 34. 1

Fixed-to the shaft'23 is a'pulley 53 adapted to be driven by"a belt fromsome suitable source of power-(not shown) to rotate theshaft -ZB' andhence to impartrctarymotion through the fittings-48 and46 to-therotating member I4! inert gas inlet-line-ZZ fits within the hollow shaft23;and a suitable packing gland con.- struction Elipermitsrotation ofthe shaft-23: without permitting'escape of inert gas discharged fromthe-line ZZ into the centrifuge. The inert gas inlet pipe 22i-s held inpositionby means of a bracket construction- 55 formed on the cover plate38; Thesplit end 55-ofr.the1b-racket 5521s :5

held-by means of' a bolt construction-51 rfirmly around the pipe '22tohold it in.position...=

The rotating member I4 is providedwith a downwardly extending baflie .58whichis adapted tocoverla-p the inner periphery of the bottom 1 59 ofthe juice collecting chamber:;28. This construction prevents. the juicefrom fiowing down into the chamberiormed between the-outside :of

the; rotatingamember: I4 and-the .body section ta'ched atitslowerendinto a centralaperture In operation the conical member I4 isrotated by the pulley 53. Juice to be purged is admitted through thejuice pipe I and is discharged in a filmionsthe inner surfacelofrthe.member I4 by reason ofsthe plate I22? =B'ecauseathe element I4 isrotating at a rapid speed, juice is distributed along the inner surfaceof the element I4 in a film. Because the juice is discharged at thelower endnof'ilthe' taperedzirotating member I4, it will pass 'trom thelower, smaller, end of the element I4..to--theupper. larger, end of theelement I4. nurm lrms; action any lighter gaseous element asr airicontainediin the juice will be squeezed out? andialayerr'separate fromthe layer of juice 5 formed on the wall of the rotating element I4.

In'ertrgas-isidislcharged through the inlet line 22""and 'the.ho11ow3shaft 23 into the top of the rotatingeleinen't'and passescounter-flow to the upward movement of the film of juice on the innersurface of the element I4 and passes out through aperture II. into .thechamber 24 and thence out through lnozzle?! 5" and gas outletline Theair thus centrifugally separatedfromth juice is exposed totheifiowiofinert"gas-which purges..theijuiceofisubstantiallyall' of theatmosphericoxygen' that'the' juice'has'-collected; The seeds will beseparated from the juice asit passes through the small apertures'3il andwill be" discharged out of .the top of the rotating conical member I4into'the. seed'collecting chamber 34, and will "be sweptoutbywaterdischargeddnto the chamber throughnozzle 31, through' chute 42",into water seal 43, fromwh'en'ce. the larger particles, the seeds andthew'a'teriwill'then be discharged over thelip 44'1" The'juice willbe'discharged through the apertu'resitfi intothe juice collecting.chamber .2 8; from whence thejui'ce will be discharged.throughhipple 3iandjuice discharge, pipe" 33'." V

I 'desirethat my invention be limited only by I claim: 1. .An apparatusfor treatingjfruit"juices: to prevent oxidation. comprising an'inverted.frustoconical: basketja plurality of apertures adjacent to the upperend. of'theibasket; means to intro-- 'duce juice. into theilower. end ofthe basket whereby the'.juice and seeds will move toward the upperendther-eofl'means, to introduce an inert gas into the upper end of thebasket to purgethe air: therefrom, a collection chamber surroundingthebasket adjacent 'to the apertures for receiving the juice dischargedtherefrom, and a seed collecting-,chamber disposed above the juicechamber. and in communication with "the upper end of thebaskettdreceivethe seeds'discharged from thebaskethl prevent oxidation comprisinganinverted frusto- 2.. An .apparatus forntreatin'g fruitijuices to conicalbasket, a-pluralityof faperturesadjacent towthebupper end of thebasketmeans to intro,-

ducenjuice..into .lthe: lower. end ofw the. basket .whereby. the juiceandseeds. will move toward the upper end thereon-means totintroduce aninert ing. .the- -.juice. discharged therefrom; a. seed.collectingchamber disposed. above. the juicechamberand.incommunicationwith the upper .end of the. basket. to receivethe .-seeds..discharged. from vthei basket andmeans to prevent access of'air .intotheseed chamber...

3. An apparatus for treating fruit juices to prevent oxidationcomprising an inverted frustoconical basket, a plurality of aperturesadjacent to the upper end of the basket, means to introduce juice 'intothe lower end of the basket whereby the juice and seeds will move towardthe upper end thereof, means to introduce an inert gas into the upperend of the basket to purge the air therefrom, a collection chambersurrounding the basket adjacent to the apertures for receiving the juicedischarged therefrom, a seed collecting chamber disposed above the juicechamber and in communication with the upper end of the basket to receivethe seeds discharged from the basket, and a water seal in communicationwith the seed collecting chamber through which the seeds pass, said sealpreventing access of oxygen to the seed collecting chamber.

4. An apparatus for treating fruit juices to prevent oxidationcomprising an inverted frustoconical basket, a plurality of aperturesadjacent to the upper end of the basket, means to introduce juice intothe lower end of the basket whereby the juice and seeds will move towardthe upper end thereof, means to introduce an inert gas into the upperend of the basket to purge the air therefrom, a collection chambersurrounding the basket adjacent to the apertures for receiving the juicedischarged therefrom, a seed collecting chamber disposed above the juicechamber and in communication with the upper end of the basket to receivethe seeds discharged from the basket, a water seal in communication withthe seed collecting chamber through which the seeds pass, said sealpreventing access of oxygen to the seed collecting chamber, and a sourceof water to flush the seed collecting chamber.

5. An apparatus for treating fruit juices to prevent oxidationcomprising an inverted frustoconical basket, a plurality of aperturesadjacent to the upper end of the basket, means to introduce juice intothe lower end of the basket whereby the juice and seeds will move towardthe upper end thereof, means to introduce an inert gas into the upperend of the basket to purge the air therefrom, a collection chambersurrounding the basket adjacent to the apertures for receiving the juicedischarged therethrough, and a seed collecting chamber disposed abovethe juice chamber and sealed therefrom adapted to receive the seedsdischarged from the upper end of the basket.

6. An apparatus for treating fruit juices to prevent oxidationcomprising an inverted frustoconical basket, a plurality of aperturesadjacent to the upper end of the basket, means to introduce juice intothe lower end of the basket whereby the juice and seeds will move towardthe upper end thereof, means to introduce an inert gas into the upperend of the basket to purge the air therefrom, a collection chambersurrounding the basket adjacent to the apertures for receiving the juicedischarged therethrough, a seed collecting chamber disposed above thejuice chamber and sealed therefrom adapted to receive the seedsdischarged from the upper end of the basket, and a water seal incommunication with the seed collecting chamber for receiving the seeds,said seal preventing the access of oxygen to the seed collectingchamber.

7. An apparatus for treating fruit juices to prevent oxidationcomprising an inverted frustoconical basket, a plurality of aperturesadjacent to the upper end of the basket, means to introduce juice intothe lower end of the basket whereby the juice and seeds will move towardthe upper end thereof, means to introduce an inert gas into the upperend of the basket to purge the air therefrom, a collection chambersurrounding the basket adjacent to the apertures for receiving the juicedischarged therefrom, a seed collecting chamber disposed above the juicechamber and in communication with the upper end of the basket to receivethe seeds discharged from the basket, means to prevent access of airinto the seed chamber, and a conduit adjacent to the lower end of thebasket for removing the inert gas which has passed therethrough.

' RONALD B. McKINNIS.

